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A. J. ALLEN. GAR COUPLING.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

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ALFRED J. ALLEN, OF ESSEX, OANADA, ASSIGNOR To CHARLES A. GOULD,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,245, dated April 5, 1892.

. Application filed September 5, 1391. Serial No. 404,817. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. ALLEN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Essex, in the county of Essex and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in car-couplers of that class known as a vertical-plane coupler; and it consists in the peculiar construction of a draftbar, the coupler-hook, and the means for coupling and uncoupling said hook, and, further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a detached plan View of one of my couplers. Fig. 2 is a horizontal central section thereof. Fig. 3 is avertical central section. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the coupling-head on line :0 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detached side elevation of a locking dog. Fig. 7 is a detached side elevation of the coupling-hook with the locking-dog shown in dotted lines as in the uncoupled position.

This coupler is of the general description of the well-known vertical plane coupler, consisting of the draw-bar A, having an open jaw at its outer end, consisting of the arms a 1) upon opposite sides thereof, with a couplinghook B pivoted in the outer end of the arm b. This hook has the usual locking-arm O, adapted to be moved into parallelism Wit-h the drawbar in a cavity or chamber D, formed in the arm b of the draw-bar.

In previous constructions of such couplers the pivot-pin E, upon which this couplinghook turns, has been inserted loosely in the socket formed in the arm I), the coupling-hook turningloosely upon that pin. In my couplerI preferably make an aperture entirely through the arm Z2 of the jaw for the pin E and secure that pin in position by means of a bolt or locking-pin F, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, so that the pin turns with the jaw instead of turning on it. The object of this is twofold:

First, it enables me to secure a crank-arm G to the lower end of the pin E, by means of which I can (with suitable connections extending to the side of the car) open the couplinghook without going between the cars. The second object of this arrangement is that in ordinary construction the pin rotates more or less at the same time that the coupling-hook turns about the pin, thus making an unnec essary amount of labor, due to the friction in handling the hook.

c are shoulders formed at the junction of the arm 0 and the coupling portion of the coupling-hook, which shoulders are adapted to strike fiat bearings (1, formed on the arm I) of the draft-bar, as"plainly shown in Fig. 1, also constructed so that the shoulder 0 will take the blow from the locking-arm O of the hook when the cars come together in the act of coupling. the weight of my coupling-hook and take the strain almost entirely off of the locking-arm of the hook.

H is a locking-latch pivoted upon the pin I, which is secured in transverse apertures through the draft-bar, being headed at both ends to hold it in position. This pin moves vertically in the central cavity of the draw head and is adapted to be operated by means of a link I, secured toapin J, arranged across a recess K in the top of the latch, as plainly shown in Fig. 3. The upper end of this link is guided by bearings L in an extension M of the draw-head and connected to suitable operating mechanism N, extending to the side of the car, by means of which this latch may be raised or lowered. This connecting mechanism may be of any desired construction.

The locking-latch is provided on its under side with an inclined bearing 0, adapted to engage with the top of the locking-arm O of the coupler, so that but a small amount of lift is required to release the dog .from the locking-arrn, the movement of the arm itself engaging with this inclined bearing being sufficient to lift the latch as soon as the point P of the latch has been lifted to the top of such locking arm. This locking latch remains on top of the extension Q of the locking-arm while the hook is in its uncoupled position, and as soon as it has returned to the This enables me to greatly reduce position shown in Fig. 1 it will fall by gravity in front of the loekingarm and prevent the jaw from rotating on its axis to its uncoupled position.

-What I claim is 1. I11 a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head, of a vertically-swimginglatch in the draw-head, having an inclined bearing on its under face, a pivoted coupling-hook on the draw-head, a reduced right-angled extension on the inner end of thehook, arranged to support the latch when in an opened position and to engage the inclined bearing when the coupler is to be uncoupled, and means for raising the latch onto the extension, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head, of a vertically-swinging latch, a pivoted coupling-hook, and a lateral extension on the hook supporting the latch when the coupling-hook is thrown open, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aftix 1n y sign ature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED J. ALLEN.

Vitnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, 1". M. IIULBERT. 

